Four Years Later
by ChevalierAirumel
Summary: Sequel of Bleached. Four years have passed since Aizen's last attack. A sercret room belonging to the former captain has been discovered and a new character is about to encounter something left behind from the battle. Things are about to go sour...
1. Take it or Leave it

**Four Years Later**

**(Sequel to Bleached)**

_Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, just Airi, Zezuri, Cyerra, and Eyon. Yep, two more added._

_Note: HEY!! Glad to have you reading this! So far, this is all my work. Wong, my sister, is working on the second part at the moment, so, yep, we'll see how this goes. Z is also going to be working on this as soon as she becomes more established in her new home. Funny how much our RP reflects our own lives... -Airi _

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"Okay, that looks good, wait! Cyerra! Your stance is wrong; you'll be blown back by your spell!" Two shinigami were in a courtyard training. One wore the white robe of the captains over her black uniform while the other was undecorated.

However, the captain's warning came too late.

"KA-BANG!" a huge explosion rang out through fifth division as the younger girl's spell burst forth and missed the target, blasting the areas three feet in front of them.

The captain choked on the dust and smoke from the spell, "C-Cyerra?" she asked through it all.

"I'm fine!" the smoke cleared away, "Sorry, Jaggerjaques-taicho!" Cyerra apologized, brushing the dust from her dark brown hair with a very tan hand. Cyerra's hair was long, almost down to her waist and braided with a pink, blue, and purple ribbon. "Jeez, I didn't think I was doing that bad..." she muttered.

"Well..." Zezuri tried to come up with some kind of encouraging words, but was at a loss save for "You tried..."

Even Renji could do better with his aim than this girl, well maybe not back when Zezuri had first started tutoring 6th squad's lieutenant. That was quite awhile ago, thought Zezuri, as she demonstrated the spell again. It had been almost four years since the events that had brought her here and since she joined 5th squad. After Aizen's defeat, Zezuri had been forced to join the Gotei 13 in return for Grimmjow's freedom. The former espada now lived in 5th division and he and Zezuri had been married for almost two years now. "Ironic," Zezuri thought, "how I was torn away from everything I knew and loved only to fall in love and marry my captor, find out I died somewhere along the way, and now I live in a different world." Only 7 months after joining 5th division had Zezuri been promoted to Captain rank. Momo had been the first to suggest it, after all the division had lost most of its honor when Aizen showed his true colors and Momo hadn't exactly been successful at taking it over. Now, with Zezuri in charge, 5th division had regained most of its previous honor. Even after its captain married one of the seireitei's most feared enemies not much changed. Although still an arrancar, Grimmjow was now treated like a shinigami; though there were those who didn't trust him.

Zezuri was forced to return her attention to her newest squad member, Cyerra, as she launched another spell. This time the fire blast flew across the grounds and hit the target on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"I got it!" Alright!" the girl called.

Zezuri smiled.

Cyerra had joined fifth squad four months ago after graduating from the academy. Her kido, while very inaccurate, rivaled the power of Momo Hinamori's. Her talent with the sword was above what was expected from an un-ranked member, but the main thing she was known for was her speed. If Cyerra had been in the Secret Ops, she would no doubt be higher in ranking than she was here. Fifth division didn't take many recruits from the graduating class; Zezuri and Momo were still trying to regain an orderly state; after all, the previous two captains of the squad hadn't been around as long as the average captain. So far, so good, but all eyes were on the captain as her squad rose from the ashes.

--

The sun slipped down the western sky as the entire fifth division, Grimmjow included, gathered in the mess hall. This was an old tradition brought back from the captain prior to Aizen's reign. Sosuke, being the bookworm he was, had always eaten by himself in his office.

"How did the search go?" Zezuri asked Grimmjow as she sat down next to him at the single long table. Like in Las Noches, meals and meeting always took place in the largest room at the long table, the main difference was no one sat on the ends.

"Nothing, Aizen… he was always good at hiding things," the blue haired arrancar wore the same outfit he had back in his espada days, only now the colors were inversed to make him blend in better.

"Did you check the floor boards?" asked Momo, sitting across the table from them. Recently, Zezuri had stumbled upon a secret room behind a book case in the office.

"M-maybe it's spelled?" Zezuri had been in the room only once herself, but an odd sensation had overcome her and she was unable to bring herself to re-enter the room.

"Sounds like something he'd do," admitted Grimmjow.

"I'll check it out tomorrow," offered Momo. Deep in her heart she was still searching for that one scrap of evidence that Aizen wasn't evil and Gin was behind this whole scheme.

"Hey guys! Why so serious? Mind if I sit here?" Cyerra approached the chair next to Momo carrying a tray laden with her dinner.

"Ah, Cyerra, of course you can!" Momo welcomed the newcomer.

"Did you hear the latest?" she asked eagerly.

"About what?" Zezuri asked curious to know if this would be something she hadn't heard yet.

"A guard in the second division mysteriously vanished!" she exclaimed, "Ooh! It's scary!"

"Who did you hear this one from?" asked Grimmjow, bored and sure this was another one of Cyerrra's traditional gossip-rumors.

"Hisagi-san!"

"Shuei?" asked Momo.

"Uh-huh! He was talking with… uh, Iba-san!" Cyerra didn't really know the lieutenant of 7th squad very well, so his name slipped her mind.

"Well, that sounds rather important, shouldn't we have heard-" Grimmjow was interrupted by the entrance of a hell butterfly.

Zezuri help up her hand and it flew to her finger, folding its black wings behind itself. A span of twenty seconds passed, but to everyone else in the hall it felt much longer.

"Well…?" asked Cyerra as Zezuri's expression became a combination of fear and concern.

The butterfly took off and flew back through the wall.

Zezuri took a few moments to gather her thoughts before standing up. "A-A guard from second division, the fourth seat to be exact, has gone missing. There is no evidence of any sort of an attack. T-the head captain asks t-that if anyone knows something, that they inform a captain immediately." Zezuri was extremely nervous as she felt all of the eyes of her division on her. She sat down in her chair.

Grimmjow patted her on her shoulder knowing that speech had taken her a lot of courage. "So…. It wasn't a rumor after all…" he grumbled.

"Told ya so!" Shouted Cyerra.

"That can't be all the information, the old man's hiding stuff," complained Grimmjow.

"What makes you say that?" asked Momo.

"We weren't told when or where this guy vanished at!"

"You're right!" exclaimed Cyerra, "So, what does that mean?"

"Trouble."

"Huh?"

"I-if they informed all the captains then it must be serious," said Zezuri. Her expression hadn't changed as she now stared at her plate.

"Aw, taicho! Try not to worry about it too much!" I'm sure there's a good explanation for this!" said Cyerra.

"Y-yeah!" started Momo, "besides we don't know much of what happens in second division!"

--

Dawn broke the next day as the captains and vice captains made their way to a meeting. Save for Zezuri, the group remained as it had been; 3rd and 9th squads had yet to find new captains. Zezuri took her place in between her two favorite and now fellow captains; Restu Unohana and Byakuya Kuchiki. Both of them had helped her adjust to life in Seireitei when she had been brought here by Renji. Unohana had been kind enough to listen to her troubles and save her friends, Airi and Grimmjow, from Mayuri. Byakuya had given her a place to stay and later secretly paid for her and Grimmjow's wedding.

Head captain Yamamoto cleared his throat, "This meeting shall now start." Everyone came to attention as the eldest member began, "Last night, as you all know, a guard from second division went missing without a trace, we have no evidence of anything other than the shinigami seems to no longer exist."

"Head captain?" A short, black haird captain spoke.

"Yes, Soi-Fon?"

"There's more."

"More?"

"Yes, last night shortly after we noticed the disappearance of the guard, I sent my top five trackers in to find him, only one returned and she hasn't spoken a word to me since she returned."

"Has she gotten any medical attention?"

"No, she'd just arrived ten minutes before I came here, I ordered her to go to fourth division, but she seemed confused."

"I'll see to her right now, if that's okay, Head Captain," offered Unohana.

"Wait just a moment; I'd like to conclude this meeting so that I too may go inspect the crime scene. Captains, lieutenants, keep you guard up! Treachery could very well lie at our core again."

--

A few day passed, then weeks, and still no news. The tracking shinigami had taken no physical damage or mental damage, in fact a few days after the incident she began to speak again, but could not recall anything that had happened or her fallen comrades. Soi-Fon was quite frustrated by this; not only had she lost four of her best squad members, had no answers, but she was now short a guard and a very important one at that. She needed to do something about that; two weeks had passed and she knew she had to fill that position, but none of her squad members seemed right for the job.

--

Zezuri had gone off to train the lieutenants for the day leaving her squad to clean up the building. Cyerra was mopping the front entrance's hallway when Soi-Fon arrived.

"Soi-Fon taicho! Hello!" Cyerra stopped what she was doing, stood up and gave a quick bow to the second captain.

"Where can I find Zezuri?"

"Jagger-jaques taicho is training some of the lieutenants today. I can get the third seat if you don't want to wait for her to get back. She should be back in… 15 minutes."

Soi-Fon nodded and moved in the doorway and stood leaning against a pillar.

"I, um, uh… I'll just get back to cleaning…" the younger shinigami had no idea what else to do; the captains normally sent messengers when corresponding with each other. This had to be very important if the captain herself had to come.

--

Ten minutes passed and still no Zezuri. Soi-Fon still waited, but her aura emitted irritation. Footsteps came from inside the building. "Yo! Cyerra, seen Hinamori around? I think I found a spell," Grimmjow spoke.

"No, she and the captain haven't returned yet."

"Tch, slow, as usual." He glared at the ninja-captain quickly and then went back to ignoring her as he sat on the other side of the porch.

--

Another five minutes passed and both Grimmjow and Soi-Fon had run out of patience. Just as Soi-Fon was bout to say something, Zezuri and Momo flash-stepped in.

"Soi-Fon?" asked Zezuri seeing one of her fellow captains, and not exactly one she got along with, "What do you want?"

"I need to speak with you; now."

"O-okay." The two captains left for Zezuri's office.

"Hinamori."

"Y-yeah?" Momo jumped; she hadn't noticed Grimmjow until now.

"I found a spell."

"Alright, let's see what we can do."

Momo and Grimmjow went for the office's secret room.

Cyerra sighed, wondering what both of the conversations were about. She continued to wash the floor silently feeling left out even though it was just due to rank. Although she'd been in this division for four months, Cyerra didn't really have any friends, save for her captain and Momo. The other members of the division were nice, but she had felt no connections. As such, Zezuri and Momo gave her the messenger type jobs, hoping she'd make some friends outside the division.

--

The newest member of fifth squad had almost finished washing her assigned section when Zezuri came out of her office.

"Cyerra?"

"Yes, taicho?"

"Can you come here for a moment?"

"Yeah…" Cyerra replied and followed her captain into the office wondering if she'd down something wrong. In the office, Soi-Fon waited at the table, impatient as always. "H-hello again, Soi-Fon taicho" Cyerra said as Zezuri motioned for her to have a seat.

"This is Cyerra, the fastest member of my division."

Cyerra found herself blushing from her captain's praise.

"So I've heard from the other captains," remarked Soi-Fon.

Cyerra's mind was wondering what this was all about.

"How good is she in hand to hand combat?" the ninja captain asked.

"Hey! I'm right here!" Cyerra felt like yelling, but thought better of it.

"Better than I am, but that's not saying much." Zezuri was a master of kido, like fifth squad's previous captain, and thanks to the razdemerdetemps, she could perform just about any spell without an incantation.

Soi-Fon's hand suddenly was a blur of motion.

"Wha-??" asked Cyerra, catching an object between her middle and index fingers before any thoughts came to her mind. The tan-skinned shinigami half expected the object in between her fingers to be a knife, but it was just a pen.

"Good reflexes," Soi-Fon was impressed, "I guess you'll do."

"Huh, what?" asked Cyerra.

"A few weeks ago, I lost four of my best trackers along with a very important guard. I've managed to replace the trackers with my own squad but the guard's position is why I'm here."

"Me? You want me to be a guard? What's so important, and why me?"

"That's confidential information and you'll know if you accept my offer. I chose you based on the other captains' and lieutenants' recommendations."

Again Cyerra was stunned by the praise her superiors were giving her. "So, what exactly would I be guarding?"

"I can't tell you that other than it's very important. The position is in the deeper cells where we keep the dangerous and unstable."

"Like an insane-asylum?" Cyerra cocked her head to the side as she asked this.

"You could say that. There are other gaurds working there, but in other areas. I'll only require you to be there a few time a day. Will you take the position? I need an answer now."Soi-Fon's gaze was intense as she waited for Cyerra's answer.

"I… uh…" the girl hesitated.

"Go and take it, Cyerra," said Zezuri, "It'll move you up in the rankings."

Soi-Fon nodded, "Fifth seat."

Cyerra's eyes went wide, she hadn't been looking for power, but this kind of promotion was unheard of and her curiosity was getting the best of her. "Okay… I'll… I'll take it!" Cyerra finally managed.

Zezuri gave a half smile and Soi-Fon looked like she had just escaped the apocalypse. "Get your things and be at the front entrance of my division in an hour," and with that, Soi-Fon left the office.

The fifth captain looked over at Cyerra who was sitting in a daze. "C'mon, let's get your stuff."

Just then the bookshelf swung open and Grimmjow and Momo entered the office. "A staircase," panted Momo, quite exhausted, "Every step, a different spell, I'm going to the library to research some, I've never seen stuff like that." Momo exited the room as Grimmjow shut the bookcase.

"The more I work on that room the more it pisses me off!" grumbled the arrancar, "Damn that Aizen…"

Zezuri ran over and hugged her frustrated husband, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Cyerra suppressed a giggle; one of the things she admired most about her captain was the way in which she never hid her affection.

"Cyerra here just got a promotion! She's fifth seat of second squad!" exclaimed the captain. Grimmjow noticed Cyerra sitting in front of the desk. "Ah! That's right!" You've gotta pack!"

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Thanks for reading! How's this for a sequel so far? What's that? Where's Airi? I have no idea... ahahaha... Zezuri just was easier to start. I'll take suggestions if you have 'em. The title could use some work as well, any suggestions there would be greatly useful!


	2. Darkest Night

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Bleached: Four Years Later

**Chapter 2**

We don't own Bleach, just Zezuri, Airi and Cyerra (Eyon too, but they've not shown up yet).

Note: Here's what was meant to be chapter 3, but a one of my coauthors is being slow and a perfectionist. shakes fist in her general direction Oh well, hopefully you'll have chapter 3 soon. -Airi

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"Ah, there she is."

"Are you sure?"

"It's undeniable, feel that reaitsu?"

Two figures sat in a shadowy void atop a dark abandoned factory's roof watching movement on the ground. A blonde girl exited from behind another old building in silence, unaware of the two figures watching her.

"Yeah, you're right, there's no doubt in my mind, that's the traitor."

"D-Roy, I wouldn't exactly call her a traitor, after all, it's Ulquiorra's fault she's there," one of the two figures hit a button on a communication device. "Aizen-sama, the target is our sight."

"Think she'll remember us, Ilforte?"

The other arrancar nodded, "Even if she doesn't, this will be one night she'll never forget."

As they stepped out from the tear in the night sky, the girl looked up, immediately sensing their spiritual pressure. Two moments later the cold clash of steal rang out as Ilforte and D-Roy's swords met their victim's.

"It's been a while," coldly mused Ilforte, staring into a harsh glare the color of fading leaves.

"Four years, right? Why come after me now?" the defender's voice was as harsh as her glare as she parried first D-Roy's attack and then Ilforte's.

Ilforte swung again before responding, "Why else? It took us that long to find you."

The blonde girl ducked and shouted "Sonaratang!" Her sword extended a bit and sparks fell freely from the hilt. "So, our shield works after all. I thought it strange that you hadn't tried to come after us."

"You truly think that?" asked a new voice from behind.

"What do you mea-" the girl was cut off midsentence by a swift blow she wasn't able to dodge all of it. A large double crescent scythe grazed her left arm tearing through fabric and skin.

"Look how fragile you've become. By letting those Vizards poison your being with shinigami weakness," a black haired male arrancar, around ten feet tall (304cm) swung his enormous weapon at the Vizard girl again. She blocked this time, but the force of the blow sent her flying backwards into a window of another building. Before the defender could get up another volley of glass shards flew at her, cutting more of her unprotected arms and face. The third arrancar had jumped with abandon into the remaining part of the window, completely obliterating it upon entry. In one swift movement he had both feet on the ground and the outer crescent of his weapon pinning his opponent to the wall."Tch, weak. You're not worth Aizen-sama's concern."

"Nnoitora-sama! Remember that we weren't sent to kill the girl, only to retrieve her!" called D-Roy.

"I know that! Don't try to order me around or I'll kill you and shut that annoying mouth of yours forever," the fifth espada yelled over his shoulder. Turning back to the girl he had pinned to the wall, he spoke again, "What the others see in you I don't. If you aren't strong then what use are you? Huh?! You disgust me."

The girl stared back defiantly; blood oozed from the many cuts on her body from the glass. Two large gashed bled more freely on her face creating thin lines from under her left eye to her cheek, "I'm as lost as you are, why does he want me alive?" Only a centimeter or two separated her neck from the espada's blade which was up against the wall.

"You're about to find out," a fourth voice spoke from behind as the wall behind her opened into a portal of blackness.

The girl glanced up as she fell backwards into another white garbed man's arms. Her eyes went wide as she was just in time to see the pink haired espada, Szayel, inject a needle with fluid into her neck. "No…" she gasped knowing all too well what was coming next.

"It's been too long, Airi-chan," he teased as her vision faded out to black and her form went limp.

--

"Airi? Airi? Yoo hoo!" called a blonde man early the next morning.

A sandal soon flew into his face, "You're too loud, baldy!"

Shinji rubbed his face where Hiyori's sandal had hit him, "But I can't find Airi."

Hiyori raised an eyebrow, "What? She didn't come back? What did you say to her last night?" Hiyori was well aware that the two hadn't been on the best of terms and tension had oddly grown between them over the past few months. Last night something had sparked an argument which had caused Airi to leave in tears and frustration, that much the other Vizards had seen, but the conversation had been private. "You're such a jerk, why'd ya go and tick her off like that?" Hiyori picked up her sandal and bashed Shinji's face with it again.

This time he didn't flinch, he stood there silently dwelling in some inner sorrow.

"Well, if ya don't tell me, I'm not helping you look!"

No response came from the taller Vizard.

"Hmph, well maybe if you just stand around moping she'll come back on her own," Hiyori, as well as all the other Vizards were known to go off for a few days to a few weeks on their own when they needed a change of scenery. However, she thought, this was Airi's first time ever doing something like this, but she felt her new friend was capable of coming back on her own. She was confident about that.

Shinji sighed, "I guess you're right, we should give her some space, only I don't sense her reitsu either, did she go that far away?"

"With how upset ya made her, who wouldn't have?" Hiyori walked back inside the warehouse, leaving Shinji outside by himself, "She might be hiding it as well, just so you don't find her." When again Shinji didn't respond she shrugged and continued on her way, not wanting to retrieve her sandal again.

--

Cold gray stone met Airi's eyes as she came to. Her vision was still blurry from whatever the eighth espada had injected into her. Stone wall, check. Stone floor, check. Window overseeing the endless white desert, she struggled into a sitting position and realized her cuts hadn't been healed, but they had been cleaned out, Szayel's work, she bet. Gazing upwards she found the window she'd been looking for, although this one had bars on it. However, the night sky empty save for the moon was unmistakable. There was no scrap of doubt left in her mind, this was Hueco Mundo. A place she hated more than anything else she could think of. The pale moon that always shone in the sky lightly fell into the room leaving a single bright patch on the floor. Airi turned and looked around the room to see that all were the same bleak gray color from her worst memories. But, as she turned her gaze to the wall opposite of the window she found herself looking at a door, something else they'd added since she'd been here. Airi sat in silence, her mind playing flashbacks of the dark days that had changed her life forever, and not for the better she thought. Zezuri, a friend's name that Airi had banished to the back of her mind as it had been too hard for the two to see each other since they had gone to opposing groups, came unbidden into her thoughts. How was her friend doing? She wondered, staring blankly into space. The last time they'd seen each other was several years ago at a party. Grimmjow, another name from the past, he'd been there too. Was he still with Zezuri? Did they have kids? Was that even possible? Why did it matter? She let her mind go further, back to her arrancar days locked up in Soul Society, and before that, fighting for Aizen. Her thoughts stopped when they reached her human days before Hueco Mundo; things got too blurry here for her to delve much further.

Suddenly the door slid open and a white cloaked figure entered. "Aizen-sama wishes to see you."

The voice was familiar, but the name of her most hated foe sent a shudder down her spine, blotting out any chance of recognizing the voice. As she gazed down at the floor, Airi made no attempt to rise from her kneeling position on the floor.

Instead of the rough yank up she was expecting, the speaker entered and gently lifted her off her feet into his arms. "Why so glum? You're finally home after four years."

The new comment earned a glare from Airi as her angry green eyes met a pair of squinty eyes framed by silver hair, "Gin…" she hissed like a frightened cat, recognizing the ex-shinigami.

* * *

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	3. First Days on the Job

**Bleached: Four Years Later**

**Ep. 3**

Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, just Airi, Zezuri, and Eyon.

Note: Sorry about the wait! The third finally gave me her part. I hope this was worth the wait!! -Airi

* * *

Cyerra went down the halls and looked around one last time. She might not have been here for all that long, but it already had that homely feel to it. It had only taken her a few minutes to gather her belonging; a few spare uniforms, some books and some other paraphernalia was all that she had in the first place. Zezuri had wanted to see her off, but Cyerra didn't want that and the captain had withheld.

She exited the fifth division's grounds and began the long walk to second division. The sun was at its highest spot in the sky and the weather was mild, unusual, since it was mid-May.

Cyerra arrived thirty minutes later at the front gates of what was to be her new home. "That's a lot of stairs," she grumbled under her breath. She'd only been here once or twice on her note-carrying missions, but today this staircase looked extra long. Soi-Fon was waiting for her at the top. "I'm here!" Cyerra waved slightly as she reached the top.

Her new captain greeted her with a quick nod. Soi-Fon led the way into the large pagoda like building atop the mountains terrain. The hallways inside were enormous well polished and highly decorated. One would not have expected to see brush painted screens of nature to adorn the special forces barracks. As the two shinigami moved further inside, climbing up many a stair case, the decorations became more impressive to the point of looking like the scenes would suddenly come to life. Cyerra knew the reason for all this was due to the previous leaders of the squad and special division; the royal family of Shihoen. "Insanely rich and not much else to spend it on", thought Cyerra.

They passed several larger rooms and stopped at a slightly smaller one at the end of the hall. "This is your room," said Soi-Fon as she opened the door for her new fifth seat.

Cyerra's mouth was agape with awe, the room was about the size of fifth division's meeting hall. A large western four-poster bed with curtains surrounding it was off to one side along with an ornate dresser, but the brown haired shinigami's attention was caught most by the windows in the back of the room. Light poured through them from the afternoon sun and made large patches of luminance on the floor. They ran from the floor to the ceiling 15 feet above and one part slid open to a balcony large enough to use as a dance floor for the entire fifth division.

Cyerra set her things on the bed and was about to walk over to the windows when she remembered Soi-Fon was still present. "Off to the prisons?" she asked her captain who nodded in response.

After proceeding down all the stair cases they'd come up and then some, the two arrived in the prison's control room. "We have to leave our weapons here," Soi-Fon removed her zanpakto and placed it on a table along with a dozen or so throwing knives.

Cyerra hesitated but also set her Zanpakto down on the table and once again followed her captain out of the room. As they began to go through the prison, Soi-Fon briefed Cyerra on her new duties. "All these people you see out on this level are considered too unstable to remain in service, but they are still our comrades, therefore we do not use weapons when dealing with them." They proceeded further through the roughly hewn rock caves. As Soi-Fon explained more to Cyerra she began to wonder more and more about what this secret was.

Cyerra was beginning to wonder if Soi-Fon had possibly lied to her after two hours of dungeon tours. But as they rounded a sharp corner and came to a barred door, she knew her captain had been truthful.

"What's in there?" the young shinigami felt a strong power eminating from behind the door.

"The most dangerous prisoner we have and something only the head captain and I know exists," Soi-Fon pulled out a special key and unlocked the door which swung open with a low moan.

"Back again you heartless witch?" sneered a voice.

Soi-Fon entered the room without a word.

Cyerra hesitated, this power and hatred made her want to turn and run, but curiosity pulled her in. She entered the cell not sure what to expect.

"What's this? You brought ANOTHER one of your flunkies? Couldn't find the old one? Did she get eaten? I don't think she would have tasted all that great, but I don't care to really know."

A million questions were forming in Cyerra's head as she gazed upon the lone prisoner. He, or at least she was pretty sure it was a guy, had black hair, darker than her uniform's color wore the traditional white under robes of a prisoner. And was that a barrette in his hair? She didn't think prisoners would be allowed to keep such things. But was caught her eye the most was the prisoner's eyes; an interesting shade of violet that shimmered even in the dim cell, illuminated by torch. Cyerra didn't realize she'd been staring until he returned her gaze with a fierce glare full of hatred and loathing. She looked down and away from the prisoner and then to Soi-Fon.

"This is the most important detail of your job; making sure this one doesn't get out," her captain went on to explain her other duties as the prisoner ranted on behind them.

"Just going to ignore me are you?!" he waited for a response, but the shinigami were too much in conversation to respond. "Fine! I warned you!" with a sudden motion he charged for the weaker of the two.

Cyerra's hand flew to her sword, only to remember it wasn't there. In the other half second she had to act, the tan shinigami swung around blocking his fist with her shin.

Soi-Fon had been faster, she was behind the prisoner, arms and legs preventing any further resistance from him.

The prisoner struggled aimlessly in the second taicho's grasp, "Just you wait! One day I'll be the faster one and I won't show mercy!" he ranted.

Cyerra looked from the prisoner's maniacal face to her captain in time to see her release a kido spell.

The black haired prisoner suddenly went limp.

"Did you kill him?!"

"Of course not. What's the point of a dead prisoner?" Soi-Fon bluntly stated, dropping the prisoner on the ground roughly.

--

Hours later Cyerra was sitting in the second division's cafeteria eating dinner by herself in total silence. Not only did she not say a word, the other occupants of the room were just as quiet. It almost felt like the room was a vacuum. No one said anything even when Soi-Fon entered the room. Cyerra ate quickly, longing to leave this abysmal, silent room.

--

The sun was sinking into the west when Cyerra made it back to her room. She walked over and began to unpack her things, putting them in their respective places in the dresser.

--

It was the morning of her second day on the job. Cyerra had gotten up bright and early so she would get a good seat in Second Division's mess hall. Somehow, even with the early start the dark and gloomy mess hall was already full. The only place left to sit was a rickety old table in the darkest corner of the room, right next to the big paper doors. "What did I do to deserve this?" thought Cyerra as she sat down, "And why is this room so darn quiet?" After sitting at the table thinking about her new job, the strange prisoner, and various bits of gossip she had heard for a good five minutes before she realized that she hadn't grabbed any food yet. The brown haired shinigami eagerly headed over to the food bar. To her dismay, breakfast was cold miso stew and water.

Cyerra was heading back to her table when the big paper doors at the end of the hall slid open letting the bright sunshine into the gloomy mess hall. Standing in the doorway was the silhouette of a tall shinigami caring what appeared to be a plate of rice balls. "Geez it's quiet in here!" the shinigami complained loudly. After looking around a moment the tall blue-haired shinigami sat down across from Cyerra. She had blue eyes and her hair was pulled back into a bun with small braids on the side. "Hi! I'm Èyon!" she said loud enough for the whole room to hear, "I'm here from ninth division because eleventh division destroyed our mess hall yesterday and seventh division's was too crowded." She then sat down. The blue-haired shinigami stared at Cyerra for a moment and said, "Hey, I thought you were in fifth squad Cyerra!"

Cyerra stared blankly over her food. Sure, it had been too quiet mere moments ago, but suddenly the situation had been reversed. "Good morning… Eyon…" she murmured, still half asleep. Cyerra could hardly be called a morning person.

"You didn't answer my question," Eyon leaned over the table, "Why are you here, you know my reason, so tell me yours."

Cyerra yawned and took a few spoonfuls of the cold miso stew before answering. "I got a promotion…" she rubbed at her eyes.

"Promotion? Looks more like DE-motion to me."

Cyerra didn't respond and went back to eating, choking down spoonful after spoonful of the awful excuse for breakfast.

"So, what is this 'promotion' for?" the blue haired shinigami asked.

"I can't tell you," said Cyerra glumly wishing she could talk to someone about it.

"Aw, c'mon!" Eyon yelled indignantly, "I thought we were friends!"

Cyerra had only seen Eyon on her rare trips to ninth division and not on all of those. The tall blue haired shinigami was the fourth seat of the division and had been given that spot by the ex-captain Tosen himself. Needless to say, Eyon certainly had a lot more seniority than Cyerra in the Gotei Thirteen.

The tan shinigami decided it would be best to be unresponsive.

"Well, I've finished my breakfast! I'll see you around! My division's mess hall won't be resurrected anytime soon… thanks to the sorry state it's been in the last four years… stupid Tosen!" She muttered the last part under her breath. She stood up and walked out the doors slamming them behind her leaving the second division in a state of mild shock.

Cyerra slowly finished the rest of her breakfast wondering exactly how much more of Eyon she should expect to see.

--

Noon signaled the start of Cyerra's long trek into the depths of the dungeons. She carried a tray of food for the prisoner as she had been instructed by Soi-Fon yesterday. Wondering why prison food looked better than her own fare she reached the door. She bent over and gently set the tray on the floor in order to get the key out of her robes. Cyerra picked up the tray again before unlocking the door. The heavy door let out a low moan as she slid it open slowly. Would the prisoner attack her? She wondered over and over again until she saw his figure sitting in the lone chair in the room.

"Psh, I guess I didn't scare you enough yesterday," he muttered. He stood up and Cyerra tensed up as he stretched his lanky form. Judging by his physical appearance, the shinigami really would never have thought him to be much of a threat but she knew there was a good reason he was being held here under this level of security. "So maybe I did and you're just stupid enough to come back for round two?!" he let out a laugh and then sighed, "Ah, don't worry too much you pathetic excuse of a shinigami. That woman's smarter than she looks," the prisoner made reference to Soi-Fon, "Fortunately for you, I'm harmless today."

"Excuse me?!" Cyerra flushed with anger. "I happen to be the fifth seat you know!"

The prisoner rolled his violet eyes and sat back down again. "Shinigami, all of you, you're just weak. Inferior. Annoying. You catch my drift, right?" he messed with his hair; it was slightly in his eyes. As he brushed it, Cyerra caught a glimpse of three pink diamond tattoos over his left eye.

"You speak as if you're something else? What are you then?" she was still angry, but her curiosity was taking over quickly.

The prisoner scoffed, "OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT A SHINIGAMI!" he laughed incredulously and then became serious, "I'm an arrancar, you can see this, right?" he put a hand to the barrette like object in his hair.

"An arrancar? What's that?"

"I'll tell you if you'll give me the tray already. I'm starved enough as it is, I can't live off the air here."

Cyerra had forgotten about the tray in her hands. "Oh, I'm sorry!" her standard response came out. As she gave the prisoner the tray, she got a glimpse of the barrette thing in his hair. It wasn't a barrette as she had initially thought, but something that resembled a jaw bone. "Wait, I've seen this before, does this mean Grimmjow is like this guy?" she thought. Cyerra was about as naïve on some issues as one could get. She knew that Grimmjow wasn't a shinigami, she'd always meant to ask someone about why he had a hole through his stomach and an extra jaw.

The shinigami waited for the arrancar to finish eating before she asked her question again, but as soon as he had finished, he slumped in his chair. "Food poisoning!" was her first thought, until she noticed he was still breathing. It was then she noticed the red collar around his neck. She leaned in closer and tapped it lightly, it seemed to suck away any pressure that got near it like a strong vacuum. Suddenly dizzy she backed away quickly, not wanting to pass out from her curiosity. Whoever or whatever this guy was, his reaitsu was phenomenal, perhaps even greater than Soi-Fon taicho's.

"Well, I guess I'm not getting any answers today, at least not from him," she muttered and picked up the tray, walked out, and locked the door behind her.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Well, how was it?? Please review!!


	4. Welcome Back To Your Nightmare

**Bleached: Four Years Later**

**Chapter 4**

_Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, just Airi, Zezuri, Eyon, and Cyerra. _

_Note: Happy Halloween everyone!!!!! -Airi_

* * *

Gin carried Airi through the hallways swiftly avoiding all glances from the arrancar they passed. The blonde girl made no attempt to escape her captor's arms; she knew it would be pointless; both routes of escape were inaccessible to her. Only a pure shinigami could open the gates to the in-between world and only a pure arrancar could tear a gash in the dimensions. She was neither but something twisted in between. Sure, she knew Ichigo could open the gates himself, but he, as well as the rest of the Vizards were more shinigami than arrancar, so they could open the gates with a bit of difficultly, but Airi herself was more arrancar and if not for Zezuri's kido spell she knew her mask would show. Deep within herself was her hollow side, not an entirely separate conscious, just another part of her mind, but currently it was caged by a powerful kido. However, upon her return to Hueco Mundo, Airi felt it stirring lightly as if to remind her of this fact.

The silver haired ex-taicho noticed Airi's lifeless expression, "And I thought you'd be happy to be back where you belong."

Airi waited for a moment before responding, "I don't belong here, I belong- I belong nowhere anymore," she shut her eyes in an attempt to stop her mind from replaying her argument with Shinji. "So stupid," she muttered almost inaudibly.

"Ah, so you had an argument, did ya?" Gin teased, "Best way to make a dramatic exit, eh?"

The Vizard's glare suddenly swelled back to full force as she almost spat back at Gin, "YOU PLANNED THIS DIDN'T YOU?"

Gin smiled and shook his head, "I had nothing to do with this. Kidnapping girls isn't my job… Anymore," he added the last word as an afterthought.

Airi went back to being silent, realizing that she would get no further answers from this man.

---

Soon, they reached Aizen's throne room. Upon entry Airi saw that most of the espada were present, save for Grimmjow. That's good, she thought, he's still with Zezuri. One thing struck her as odd as she counted the members; only eight were present, Aizen either hadn't replaced the sixth or they weren't present. And the other absentee, the fourth espada…. Airi's mind shut off before his name could present itself.

"Aizen, I brought her as you wanted," Gin set Airi on the floor at the foot of Aizen's throne and took his place next to his fellow ex-captain, Tosen.

"Welcome home, Airi," Aizen said in his caring tone.

She returned the welcome with another glare, "WHY? Why did you bring me back here?!" she shouted at him.

"Why else, you are a member of my army," he stated nonchalantly.

"No. No I'm not," her voice shook as she spoke, "I'm a Vizard, part of the masked army and I have been for the past four years."

Aizen raised an eyebrow as a smirk crossed his face.

"You even sent U-Ulquiorra to kill me!" she yelled, at her wit's end. Whatever thoughts were lying behind that smirk she'd never know until it was too late and answers never came from this man. Or so past experience told her.

"Ulquiorra did that on his own accord, I cannot account for his actions that day. His only order was to destroy the enemy." Aizen's tone was sincere and the words hit home.

Airi felt as if she was falling inside into an endless void of confusion, "If not Aizen's orders then why?" her mind fought frantically for any scrap of an answer she could surmise. When she found her strength to speak again, she spoke at a normal level, "I'm still not part of your army. My friends will rescue me. I know they will, they should have sensed everyone who came after me!"

The leader of the espada said nothing, but kept his satisfied smirk on his face. Something about his look said "We'll see." "Now, as to your current form, we'll fix that first."

The girl's eyes flew wide. "No! I won't let you!" Her sword suddenly formed in her hand as she drew it and flung herself toward Aizen's throne atop a long staircase. Her path was interrupted by the closest espada, Arinero. "Get out of my way!" she screamed and shoved past. The ninth espada fell to the floor on his knees, but no one stopped to notice, Airi had made her way up seven stairs before she found herself surrounded by the remaining espada. Nothing was going to stop her today, Airi pushed through the seventh espada as well since he'd been the one directly in front of her. However, this time she couldn't go any further. As the seventh fell a newcomer took his place. Airi gasped as her blade was suddenly thrown across the room by a single blow. One green gaze met another as the Vizard looked upon the pale face of the fourth espada. "Ulquiorra," she rasped, suddenly very much out of breath.

In the half second it had taken Ulquiorra to disarm the girl, the rest of the Esapda closed in tighter this time. Stark wrapped an arm across her collar bone, holding her back. Completely defenseless and unable to resist any longer, Airi hung her head in defeat.

"Szayel," Aizen's voice boomed over the commotion.

The pink haired Espada merely nodded and drew from his outfit another syringe full of a liquid.

The flames of rebellion shone once again in Airi's eyes as she tried to break free of Stark's grip, but the first Espada held her firmly in place.

Szayel approached cautiously, wondering if she'd break free of even the first Esapda's grasp; she'd grown much more powerful since she'd killed Luppi four years ago. But even then, he thought, she'd been in a rage worse than what she'd just displayed, it seemed that her powers were now above his own.

Airi watched with rage still flaming in her green eyes, wanting anything but to be reduced back to arrancar state. She could only watch in horror and dismay as yet again Szayel injected a needle into her neck. However, this time instead of passing out, she merely went limp, but still retained consciousness.

Aizen rose from his throne and approached the pillar containing the hyogoku.

Airi was unable to even watch as she had lost all control of her muscles; her eyes stared aimlessly at the floor. Her thoughts swam looking for any escape she could use.

Aizen walked down the stairs of his throne through the mass of the Espada that parted as he approached. "You're late, Ulquiorra," he spoke to the fourth Espada as he passed.

"I apologize, Aizen-sama," he bowed like a knight of old; with a step back and his right arm across where his heart would be if he had one.

The brown haired ex-captain passed by without further comment and stopped in front of Stark who was holding up the limp form of Airi. He pulled her up more by the back of her tattered shirt to a point where she was almost standing. She moved her eyes up to glare weakly at Aizen. He smiled gently back before he slammed the hyogoku into her chest once again. Zezuri's spell shattered, freeing the dark corner of Airi's mind. Thanks to the serum, Airi felt nothing this time as her heart disappeared for the third time. She felt the wetness from her tears before they again turned milky; however this time they immediately formed the fragments in her hair instead of covering her face first. When the transformation was complete, Stark let her sink to the stairs. The transformation had managed to add to the serum's effect as Airi had passed out sometime during it.

"She seems to have become more powerful since the last time," Aizen noted. He glanced in Ulquiorra's direction. The fourth espada walked over and picked the unconscious girl up and moved her off the stair case, leaving her on the floor as they all filed out silently.

---

Slipping. Falling. From a wet, slanted surface. Why was she here? Airi tried to scream, but couldn't as she slipped further, off a roof. Was this the warehouse she'd called home for the past four years? Yes, yes it was. Sudden movement above her caught Airi's attention. "Shinji?" she called. "Shinji! Help!" The Vizard appeared not to have heard his comrade's screams as she slipped off the final part and fell. However, the landing was more of a poke in the side than anything else. Again it came and Airi realized she really hadn't been falling, instead she was on her back gazing up at a grey stone ceiling. A third poke finally got her attention. "Stop that…" she sat up slowly.

"Uwah?" asked a voice next to her.

Airi turned to face her rescuer from her dream. "Oh, Wonderwiess… hi there…"

The youngest arrancar seemed as immature as ever. "A-airi…?" he asked.

Her eyes went wide, she hadn't expected any development in his vocabulary, but then again, she'd barely known the other blonde arrancar when she'd been here previously. "You can talk now?"

"He's been working on it for awhile now, but that's as far as he's gotten, just a few names," Tosen stood in the doorway to the room.

It was now that Airi realized she was still in the throne room. Everyone else had since departed; only the three of them were in the room.

"You should count yourself lucky; Aizen-sama is never so quick to forgive those who go against him."

The girl's mind went quickly through the last thoughts she'd had before passing out. Putting a hand to her head, she found what she feared most; mask fragments. All the anger had seeped out of her during her final struggle; again she hung her head in defeat.

"Your form is a bit different from last time, but we believe it just changed with your power level." The ex-captain entered the room more, and offered Airi a hand up. She ignored it, wondering why he was being so friendly, and got up on her own. Still a little dis-oriented from the serum, she swayed a bit on her feet. After pausing a moment to regain her balance, she attempted to take a step, but fell forwards almost instantly.

Tosen's strong grip kept her from hitting the heavily polished black titled floor as he pulled her up right.

"Why are you bothering to be nice, it won't change anything. I won't follow your orders this time. I know better than that." Airi wrenched herself free of Tosen's grasp and stumbled forward into something hard, cold, and white. At first she thought she'd hit the wall.

"Ulquiorra, I believe you can take her from here." Tosen exited from the room with Wonderwiess close behind.

Airi backed quickly away from the figure she had just crashed into. Indeed, it was the fourth espada. She looked up into his green eyes to find she couldn't tear her own gaze away. Somehow, it seemed that he now could control her actions better than she could as she tried to look away. Something clicked in her brain that she wouldn't be able to look away unless he let her. "What's going on? Why can't I look away?" she wondered frantically.

"As Tosen told you, your own powers have grown, now you are actually useful to Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra began in his monotone as Airi tried everything she could to break eye contact with him. "Resisting is futile, no fraccion can disobey the espada that commands them."

* * *

Thanks for reading!!!! Enjoy the lovely twist we threw in at the end??? Please comment/review! It means a lot to us! -Airi


	5. Revelations and Confusion

**Bleached: Four Years Later**

**Chapter 5**

Sorry for the long break everyone! I'm back to working on this, in fact I have another chapater that's getting close to done, but it's off in sort-of beta land. Anyways, hope you all wanted more Eyon, Cyerra, and Zezuri!

Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, just Eyon, Zezuri, Cyerra, and Airi.

* * *

A few weeks passed and Èyon had all but forgotten about her encounter with Cyerra in the second division. She sat down at her desk to work on her never-ending pile of paper work. Brushing a stray strand of dark blue hair out of her eyes, the fourth seat of ninth division noticed Shuei standing in front of her desk and jumped.

"Èyon, take this over to Jagerjaques-taicho's place, thanks," said Shuei, the lieutenant, and acting captain of ninth squad as he handed his fourth seat a stack of papers.

Èyon groaned. Reluctantly taking the stack, she headed off toward fifth division and the captain's room. She arrived to find nobody there. "Hello?" she called into the empty room.

There was no response.

"Jagerjaques-taicho must be off on an important errand," thought Èyon with a sigh, "Well, I suppose I'll just hang around until she gets back". Setting the papers down on the floor next to her, she sat down and waited.

About five minutes later, Èyon was getting restless. She stood up and began to pace the room. Just then she sensed a strange energy coming from behind one of the bookcases. Curiosity and boredom getting the better of her, she went over to investigate. It appeared to be an ordinary bookcase, but she sensed a kido spell placed on a book. She touched the spine and jumped at the grinding noise that came as the entire bookshelf slid into the floor to reveal an enormous void with a long spiraling staircase leading down into the darkness. Nervously, she began to descend the stairs. "There must be a thousand stairs!" thought an exhausted Èyon as she continued down the stairs. After what seemed to be a long time later, Èyon finally reached the bottom of the stairs. With a relieved sigh, she stepped off the last stair into the room below. She looked around the room to see some writing etched into the wall. It read: På tvers den verdenen finne den dal. "What does that mean?" wondered Èyon.

"Is someone down there?" called a voice from up the staircase.

Recognizing the voice as belonging to none other than the lieutenant, Hinamori, Eyon quickly scrambled up the stairs.

"Who are you and just what were you doing in there?" the fifth lieutenants eyes flared dangerously; her hand on her sword ready to draw.

"Crap," Eyon thought regretting her decision to explore.

"Speak, or I'll- I'll cut you down where you stand!"

Eyon could clearly see that Momo was not bluffing. "I-I came from 9th division to deliver some papers to Jagerjauqes-taicho, but no one was here and, well… I was bored… What is that room down there for anyways?"

Momo hesitated and slowly lowered her hand from the hilt of her sword. A puzzled expression crossed her face. "Wait, you made it all the way down? How? The spells reset every time I enter!"

"Hey! What's up with all the racket?" asked Grimmjow, entering the room with his wife.

Momo looked over to her captain and her husband, "This girl says she made it all the way down the stairs."

Zezuri and Grimmjow exchanged glances.

"Let's discuss it in my office; I can't be in this room very long," Zezuri admitted.

---

"So, Eyon, how did you manage to get into the room?" Zezuri asked now sitting comfortably in her chair behind her desk.

"I-I don't know... I just walked down the stairs, nothing stopped me." She fidgeted with a bracelet on her wrist, wondering what the big deal about the room was.

Momo suddenly had an idea, "Maybe the spells were de-activated! I'll go check!" she ran out of the room before her words registered in anyone's head.

--

Ten minutes later Momo rushed back into the room, gasping for air; Zezuri's office was on the other side of the division from the office of the previous captains. "Well…?" asked Grimmjow.

"N-no good. The spells… weren't touched at all…" she walked into the room and sank into a chair by the door.

Eyon shrugged as Zezuri sighed and put a hand to her head, "I don't get it… why can't I enter the room? Why do the spells reset? How come only Eyon can get through?"

The room was silent as all four of the occupants realized they were not going to get any answers.

"I need to be getting back… Shuei-fuku-taicho will be mad at me if I'm late…" Eyon meekly ducked out leaving the other three to further ponder the day's events.

"What should we do?" asked Momo after watching the other shinigami depart.

"I think we need to get some help in this investigation; why don't we ask Captain Hitsugaya for some help?" suggested the fifth captain.

"Shiro?" Momo exclaimed, "That's a good idea! He had been investigating C-captain A-aizen's behavior before anyone noticed anything," her sentence ended with a downward glance at the floor. Four years may have passed since the last time Soul Society had seen the previous captain of the fifth squad, however, his lieutenant still couldn't find the strength to move on. Because of this, she still hadn't made things up with her foster brother.

Zezuri handed a folded piece of paper to Grimmjow after hastily scribbling some words on it, "Could you take this to tenth division?" she asked looking up at the blue haired arrancar.

He took it and grinned. "I'll be back before you know it," and sondio-ed out of the room.

---

"You there! New recruit!" a loud voice called out.

Cyerra stopped in her tracks; she was leaving the dining hall to go take food to the prisoner. Turning around she saw the lieutenant, Maychiro walking in her direction. "My name's Cyerra," she muttered when he was within hearing distance.

"You. The captain wants you to report to her after you do your job." He walked past her and headed for the cafeteria.

For a moment, Cyerra almost called out to him; she still hadn't been able to ask about the prisoner, but she didn't want to get her new captain mad at her by asking this fool about something he might not know about. Sighing to herself, the tan shinigami continued on her way lost in thought, wondering if the prisoner would be awake today; he'd been out ever since her second day on the job, so long ago now it seemed. She still hadn't been able to find out what the heck an arrancar was and now she really wished she hadn't fallen asleep in every "Hollow Analysis" class. She knew arrancars had something to do with hollows, but that was it. Fortunately, none of that stuff had been on the exam; otherwise she knew she wouldn't have graduated.

Finally she arrived at the cell door far into the division's prison. Carefully she slowly opened the door as if she expected the prisoner to come flying out at her. She picked up the tray once she saw his form still limp in the chair. He'd slouched down in the chair a bit more every time she'd been here. Now the position he was in looked quite uncomfortable. Had he woken up? A quick glance at the untouched tray of food she'd brought the day before told her he hadn't. After switching the old tray with the fresh one, Cyerra set the older food by the door gently and turned to the prisoner. She couldn't just leave him slouched like that; just looking at him gave her a back ache. She approached him as a weary traveler would approach a sleeping tiger. Wait, they wouldn't, but Cyerra's curiosity always overruled her fears. Stepping closer she could hear his faint breathing. She carefully put a hand on his shoulder, ready to spring back if he showed any response. None came. Breathing a sigh of relief, she gently pulled his limp form up to a halfway decent posture. As she moved the prisoner, his hair moved off to the side as his head slumped to a side giving Cyerra a fully view of three pink diamonds that arched over his left eyebrow. "Hardly something I'd call manly… or even threatening… but then again he just seems so... defenseless…" Pity wasn't something Cyerra normally expressed, but the poor treatment this arrancar was receiving, brought out what she had.

Satisfied with her work, Cyerra turned to leave. "Hm?" Something was caught on her hakama.

The prisoner let out a moan as Cyerra attempted to remove his hand without ripping her uniform. "Geez, you've got a strong grip," she said through gritted teeth. Attempting to wriggle it out from his grasp wasn't working too well. "Great, just great! I've got to see taicho, and she's not going to be happy if I'm late!" The fifth seat could just see her captain using her as target practice if she was more than thirty seconds late. "C'mon! C'mon!" she shouted forgetting to be quiet.

Suddenly, the prisoner's violet eyes snapped open as did his hand.

The sudden release of her hakama caused Cyerra to fall to the ground with an "Oof!" she landed hard on her bottom. Gazing up at the prisoner sitting in the chair, she quickly regained her composure.

He gazed back; confused.

"I thought you weren't going to let go!"

The prisoner blinked once, as if trying to remember where he was, or who he was.

"I brought your food, it's over there," Cyerra remembered Soi-Fon's summons and quickly exited the room as the arrancar tried to regain his focus.

---

Running as fast as she could, Cyerra vaulted over anything in her way in a way only her captain could out do. She was just as confused as the prisoner had been, perhaps more. Just what was that collar doing to him? His glances had been nothing like his temper when they'd first met. "I guess I'll just ask Soi-Fon" she muttered, sliding the door to the ninja captain's office open.

"Ask me what?" Soi-Fon was standing at her window, gazing out over the training fields for the stealth force.

"T-tachio! I apologize for my tardiness!" Cyerra made a quick bow.

"What's the status of the prisoner?"

"He woke up as I was leaving…" the younger girl's voice trailed off.

Soi-Fon looked up from the window, "Something is troubling you. You shouldn't let your emotions cloud your sense of duty. What is it you wish to ask?"

At first, Cyerra was slightly taken aback by this new side of Soi-Fon, had she been daydreaming just now? And of what? "A-about the prisoner," she finally managed after frantically searching her mind for the right way to phrase the question. "What is he?"

Soi-Fon went back to looking out the window. "Cyerra, when did you join the Gotei-13?"

"About five months ago."

"Then this was before you," Soi-Fon stated. "Four years ago, when Aizen lead his last attack on the Seireitei, he brought along his entire army of hollows and arrancar. They were after the Razdemerdetemps, a kido supplement that somehow was inside of Zezuri."

Cyerra nodded, this was all common knowledge so far.

Soi-Fon continued, "During the battle, the prisoner, as he now is, was severely wounded and left for dead. I found him after the battle unconscious and took him into custody in hopes of getting some information from him. Over the four years he has been in that cell, he has not uttered phrase of any information I didn't know." She paused for a moment, "Did he say anything to you?"

"No, he was just in a daze, as if he'd forgotten who he was."

"Hm, I'll need to see Kurosutchi about that serum then, it seems it's too strong…" Soi-Fon walked over to her desk and scratched a note in a book lying open on top of the otherwise spotless desk. "You are dismissed. Report to me again tomorrow."

"Yes, taicho!" Cyerra made to leave the office and stopped a hand on the doorway. "May I ask one more question?"

The second captain didn't look up from her work, but nodded.

"The prisoner, what is his name? Do you know it?"

Soi-Fon stopped writing as if to think for a moment, "Yes, it's Luppi."

"Luppi," Cyerra repeated it to herself as to not forget as she silently left her captain to her paperwork.

* * *

And you all thought he was dead! *laughs*

Review or perish! Okay, not really, but please do! It keeps us, well... me, going. -Airi


	6. Realization

**Bleached: Four Years Later**

**Chapter 6**

_Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach, just Airi, Zezuri, Eyon, and Cyerra._

_Note: I must thank Enchantable for her input/suggestions for the chapter. _

_And since everyone on DA told me they'd like to see more Airi and more of the Vizards, wish granted. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!!!_

* * *

"Shinji, if you're so worried, why don't you call her?" Lisa peered up over the top of a book she had been trying to read.

The leader of the Vizards had been pacing back and forth, true, Airi had only disappeared just under a week ago, but he had a sinking feeling about her disappearance.

"We all need our time away from each other. And since you don't go to school anymore, I'd imagine she was getting sick of being cooped up in here anyways," the other Vizard followed her friend's movements with her eyes. He kept pacing like a caged animal and it was getting hard to ignore. "Well... call her already!"

Shinji paused for a moment and glanced at the ground. "Nah, it's okay Lisa, it's only been a few days, she'll be fine," he said and went back to pacing.

---

Airi had just come to the conclusion that she was anything but 'fine' at the moment. She'd been unable to do anything but listen as Ulquiorra had informed her that she was now his fraccion. As far as she knew, the Fourth Espada never had fraccion. Rumors did say that Yammy had been his at one point, but that was highly unlikely.

"Back on escort detail?" Nnoitra stepped out of a room into the hallway as he addressed Ulquiorra. However, he kept walking, ignoring the fifth's remark. Airi stopped and glared at the extremely tall espada towering over them.

"Airi. Come." Ulquiorra ordered. Airi's feet moved before she could realize that once again her own will had failed against his.

Nnoitra's expression went from amusement to pure shock. "You didn't! You took that weakling for a fraccion?!" he laughed.

Again the fourth was silent. Airi hung her head as she passed the still laughing fifth espada as her rage built up; she wasn't weak, how dare he laugh at her and –" she stopped herself before the thought could finish. No, just because he had said she was his fraccion didn't mean she'd accept it. She'd already made up her mind to fight this as much as possible.

Ulquiorra led the way further down the hallways through parts of Las Noches further than she'd ever ventured. After awhile, they arrived in front of a door that looked exactly the same as all the others, but Airi could sense something special about this door. Ulquiorra put his hand on it and it split in half; part of it falling into the floor and the other part sliding up into the ceiling. He entered the room without a word. Airi peered into the blackness of the room before entering, wondering if it'd be full of hollows, like the ones he used to lead her to. As she stepped through the doorway nothing attacked her. In fact the room was empty of all life, save for herself and Ulquiorra, if one could consider the arrancar to be alive. The room was huge; the ceiling was a good forty feet (12.2 meters) above her head and the walls seemed just as far off. Solid black round columns ran from the floor to the ceiling in an organized fashion. Airi was in awe of the room, but felt the room really fit its owner.

"This is now where you will reside," the fourth espada spoke walking further into the room.

Airi glared at the back of his head. She hoped this would only be temporary, the thought of having to share a room… wait… share a room?!

"As in… we both share this room?" she burst forth with the question.

Ulquiorra looked over his shoulder; his eyes met hers and answered the question before he spoke. "As my fraccion, it would be odd if you did not reside in the same domain as I."

Airi wasn't sure why she had needed to really ask that; after all she knew that Grimmjow had kept his fraccion relatively close at all times, it just hadn't registered how close that was. However, that didn't mean she was going to stand for this.

Before she was able to protest further, her thoughts were interrupted by Ulquiorra stopping in his tracks. "I have a mission I must attend to for Aizen-sama. You will wait here while I am gone." He snapped his pale fingers together and split the air in front of him and walked through without so much as a glance of farewell.

Airi watched him disappear, feeling relived when the portal closed behind him. His last orders were something she had intended on doing in the first place. Her staying in his room for the moment would not be considered more proof of her situation. Nnoitra's comments had caused her enough embarrassment and she had no desire to find out what the other espada thought of her situation. She again gazed around the room, grateful that it was quite large. The far right wall caught her attention, as faint light poured into the room in four separate patches from a set of windows. Before she realized where she was going, Airi found herself staring out a tall window onto the vast desert of Hueco Mundo. The white sands reached out forever, but nothing out there was living, she remembered, but continued to stare out wondering if anyone had discovered she hadn't left on her own free will. "Shinji…" she muttered before falling asleep on the windowsill. The effects of all the day's trauma, the lingering effects of the transformation, and a hint of serum, all added together had suddenly caught up with her.

---

Since morning never came to Hueco Mundo, Airi had woken up alone in the dark just under the window sill she'd been leaning on. "I have a bad tendency to do that, don't I?" she muttered remembering another incident she'd done this. But she hadn't been alone then. Zezuri. Her only friend from her old life. Again she remembered the friend she tried so hard to block out from her mind. The pain from losing her to another society where she wasn't accepted was a deep wound. Knowing not to dwell on this, she turned her thoughts back to her life in the past four years. She had moved into the Vizard's warehouse and led a semi-normal existence. Attending high school, although she'd been about to graduate in her former life. Shinji, he had been going with her. Actually, her going had been his idea in the first place. Keeping tabs on Ichigo had been his reason, so they continued to attend school with him, Orihime, Ishida, and Rukia for the remainder of high school. After graduation, she had withdrawn to Vizard duties of slaying hollows and staying out of Soul Society's attention. Apparently, the Seireitei hadn't been the only ones searching for the Vizards. "Dang it!" she shouted, "That was SO stupid of me to go off like that. I wouldn't have ended up in this mess if… if… if I hadn't gotten into that stupid fight with Shinji." Tears of frustration rolled down her face. Most people assumed Airi didn't cry much, always giving off a strong aura, but when she was alone and no one could see she wouldn't hold back.

A few minutes passed and the blonde arrancar got a hold of herself. She started to stand up but almost tripped; her jeans were in a sorry state, as was the rest of her outfit; the bottom of the left leg was torn outwards and currently under her right shoe. Carefully stepping, as to avoid any further mis-haps, she stood up. Her hand brushed one of her pockets. "Oh! My phone!" Airi rummaged through her pockets to discover it was missing. Her level of frustration grew from this new discovery. "I bet it fell out during the battle… hope it's not broken…"

Looking around, Airi became aware of the fourth espada's absence. However, a white bundle had been set next to her. Picking it up, Airi realized it was a new outfit. To say she didn't want to put it on was an understatement; she put it back down hastily and turned away only to realize that her current outfit was clearly not going to last much longer. She let out a sigh in defeat, retrieved the new garments and unfolded the clothes. "Well, at least this time it's made for movement… but still… why tights?" she muttered before changing. The new outfit was the usual white on black of Las Noches, but this time, the skirt only ran to Airi's knees and was split up on both sides. The sleeves went down to her elbows, but, like the skirt were also split open. A black sash went around her waist and now she had black fingerless gloves. The black tights were the worst part of this outfit in her mind; they were worse than the small heeled sandals that strapped up to just under her knees. "Yet another outfit not made for combat, but I'm guessing that's where I'll be…" More flashbacks crossed her mind of countless battles against the shinigami.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Ulquiorra's entrance. "I see you've changed," he stated looking her over briefly.

"Not like I had a choice," she muttered.

"I thought you'd prefer a new outfit; yours was not suited for any sort of movement."

Airi clenched her fists and glared at him for a moment; her constant defeat in the battles of wit fueled her anger further. "I-I could have fixed it!"

He looked her straight in the eyes and she suddenly released her clenched fists before she had the time to remember his new power over her. He released his power hold on her and turned for the doorway again. "I must inform Aizen-sama you have awoken."

"Why does he care?"

"You've been out for almost two weeks."

Airi's eyes went wide, "Two weeks?!" she repeated before sinking to the floor as Ulquiorra stared. "Two weeks?! Shinji…. Everyone? Why didn't they come? Didn't they notice the damaged buildings? The broken glass? My sudden disappearance?"

"Your friends aren't coming. They don't care about you."

"How… why…?" Airi was stunned.

"Isn't it clear? If they cared, they would have been here, and Aizen-sama would have destroyed them."

Airi fought her doubts desperately, barley clinging to any hope she could find. "They've always come for me! Ever since you left me with them! They'll show! You just wait!"

Ulquiorra gazed at her calmly, "You should abandon the pitiful hope you are clinging to; it won't happen."

The blonde hung her head in an involuntary defeat; she wasn't giving up on this yet, even if she was his fraccion, she wasn't going to lose her willpower, not to him, and certainly not to Aizen. Ulquiorra walked out of the room and the door slid shut after him. Airi wanted nothing more than to run from the room at that moment, but found her legs uncooperative.

---

"Shinji, have you heard from Airi?" Rose knew that this was a risky question to ask his friend, "You've been moping around for the better part of three weeks. You haven't even picked up Lisa's books lately."

"Maybe he just got bored from all the porn?" suggested Mashiro suddenly joining in on this conversation. The Vizards were having lunch in the air over their warehouse just because they could.

Shinji didn't say anything and stared dejectedly at his sandwich.

Suddenly a well aimed projectile in the form of a sandal made impact with Shinji's face resulting in the loss of a sandwich as it fell to the ground far below.

"Geez, yer annoying! Stop moping! You haven't called her yet because you're scared of her being mad at you!" Hiyori had stood up after throwing her sandal. "Well, if yer too scared then I'll call 'er!" She pulled her phone out of her pocket of her red sweat pants and was about to dial when Shinji spoke.

"Fine. I'll do it," he pulled out his own phone and found Airi's number. He hesitated for a brief moment before hitting the dial button. The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Mid-way through the third ring the recorded voice of an operator came on.

"The phone number you are trying to reach is no longer available. Press zero to talk to a live operator. Pressons deux pour Français..." Shinji hung up before it could go any further.

"Shinji, what's with that look?" asked Love. Shinji's expression was pure shock.

"So she wasn't there, shouldn't you have left a message?" inquired Lisa.

The leader shook his head. "Her phone is no longer in service."

A shocked silence engulfed the group; all of their phones were made by Uahara himself, and like the shinigamis', doubled as hollow locating devices. For Airi to have destroyed it was unthinkable.

"Something's wrong," muttered Hachi.

"Everyone," Shinji's commanding voice was suddenly back, "We've got to search for her."

The group members nodded before splitting up suddenly from their lunches.

"Airi… please be alright…" muttered Shinji as he dashed off.

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**Thanks for reading! Be a pal and review please!!!**


	7. Chaos With Corruption

**Bleached: Four Years Later **

**Chapter 7**

**Disclaimer: We don't own Bleach. Only, Airi, Zezuri, Eyon, Cyerra, and Kaikea (you don't know him yet)**

**Note: Thank you Kubo. Now my arrancar OC is a freaking duplicate. At least she has white wings. Anyways, she's not in this chapter. I apologize for my insanely slow co-author whom I have to pull her teeth to get her to write anything. **

**-Airi**

* * *

"Eyon? Eyon, wake up!" Shuei Hisagi was standing over Eyon's desk where the fourth seat had fallen asleep. She made no response and continued to sleep draped over the clutter of paper work that covered her desk.

"THWACK!"

"Owie! What was that for?" she moaned, rubbing her head.

Shuei put a hand on his forehead in irritation, "Eyon, if you can't stay awake at 7:30 in the morning, then may I suggest getting some tea or something to keep you at least from drooling on your paper work?"

"7:30 is too early for work," moaned Eyon, rubbing the back of her head where her superior had whacked her with a report.

"Peh, hard to believe you're older than me…" he muttered.

"What was that?!" Eyon was in truth, much older than Shuei, she'd always been in the ninth division and had joined back when Tosen first assumed command of the division. She didn't care too much for battle and such never worried about getting promoted; Tosen had been the one to place her at 4th seat and she wasn't sure she was entirely deserving of it.

"You need to get to fifth divison; Captian Jaggerjauges requests it. What mess have you gotten yourself into?"

Eyon moaned, "Now?"

"Now."

The blue haired shinigami rose up and left the division with a half-hearted flash step.

---

At the fifth divison a small crowd had gathered upon request of Zezuri. She had called for Captains Hitsugaya, Ukitake, and Shunsui in investigating the matter of the room.

"But did it have to be this early, Toshiro?" Momo rubbed sleep from her eyes.

"That's HITSUGAYA-TAICHO! And yes, the sooner we resolve this problem the sooner we'll have an advantage over Aizen. We can't afford to waste much time on this matter when he could attack us any day."

"Can we get started, or are we still waiting for someone?" asked Shunsui.

"Like you're one to talk, Kyoraku," mused Ukitake, "normally we'd be waiting on you."

"Yeah, but today, my sweet Nanao-chan was extra pushy when it came to get me here."

"Who's your 'sweet Nanao-chan?'" the brunette lieutenant gave a quick glare to her captain.

Kyoraku beamed in return, "You did a good job of getting me here, my sweet. But you can leave now."

"Not a chance! The second I let you out of my sights these days you'll find your way to a bar or some other trouble."

Shunsui groaned and Ukitake laughed, "Say, Toshiro, where's your lieutenant?" asked Jushiro.

"She'd better be at my division working on the paper work she's neglected for the past month."

The door slid open and Eyon entered looking like she'd just crawled out of bed, followed by Zezuri and Grimmjow who'd been waiting for her at the entrance.

"Well then, shall we get started?" Zezuri asked with a half smile.

Éyon gave a blank look. "Start what?" she asked.

"The meeting," said Hitsugaya.

Éyon sighed and sat down on one of the mats set out on the floor. She had so much paperwork to do, she really didn't have time for any meetings.

"So can we start or what?" asked Grimmjow impatiently.

"Y-yes! Of course!" stammered Zezuri. "We're here to discuss the hidden room," she said, glancing at the doorway that was now left open on a regular basis for the purpose of investigation.

"Oh, you mean the room I went into the other day? I'm sorry I shouldn't have. I should have stayed with my duty and-" blurted Éyon nervously.

"It isn't a problem that you went in. What we want to know is HOW you got in," explained Hitsugaya.

"What do you mean? Are you saying you guys can't get in?" asked Éyon.

"Wasn't that obvious?!" snapped Grimmjow punching the wall with his fist in frustration. "Every freaking time there's a stupid spell! I bet Aizen would be laughing at us if he knew how many times he's set my hair on fire!"

"We should check to see if it was a fluke," the shortest captain looked at Zezuri. "May we see this room?"

"Of course. But... I can't go in it..."

Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow.

"She passes out every time she gets close to the door," explained Momo.

"I see."

Zezuri led the group down the halls to the room undergoing investigation. She slid the door open and stood to the side.

Hitsugaya and Eyon entered with Momo. The lieutenant moved the book case out of the way carefully as to not spill the books from the shelves.

"I'll go in first," Toshiro moved cautiously towards the door. Before he could cross the threshold onto the stairs he passed out.

"S-shiro!" Momo screamed before she too sank to her knees and slipped from consciousness.

Grimmjow, Ukitake, Shunsui, and Kyoraku had just entered the room at the exact moment Hitsugaya had fallen. Before they could figure out what had happened, the three shinigami also fell to the floor unconscious.

Éyon and Grimmjow exchanged panicked glances as Zezuri entered the room.

"W-what's going-" she didn't get any further before she joined her comrades on the floor.

"What the hell?!" shouted Grimmjow. He picked up his wife and rushed out of the room with her leaving Éyon alone amid the unconscious shinigami.

Éyon sank down to the floor in front of the secret door in shock. Her mind raced frantically for something to do.

Mere moments later, part of the Second Division's stealth force arrived, with Marechiyo leading them.

"What did you do?!" shouted Marechiyo, his mouth half-full of food as he shoved more of his half eaten sandwich in.

"N-nothing!" stammered Éyon, a bit startled by Second Division's sudden appearance and still recovering from the whole incident.

"Oh, really… Well, we'll see about that shall we?" He smiled stupidly, "Take her prisoner!" commanded Marechiyo.

"Wait! You can't just do that!" shouted Éyon.

"And why not? Who's here to stop me? Soi-fon-taicho is out on a mission and she left ME in charge," said Marechiyo feeling gleeful at his temporary power, "Besides, we have the arrest warrant for you already, Éyon Raiden."

"For what?" she protested, "I didn't do anything!"

"That's what they all say. Take her to the prison!"

The shinigami stealth force grabbed the tall blue haired shinigami and dragged her off to second division, where they hastily threw her in a wooden cell. "Ow…" she moaned at the rough landing.

"Get off me," ordered a familiar voice quite rudely.

"Grimmjow???" It was indeed the blue haired ex-Espada that she had landed on, "They arrested you too??"

He didn't answer and instead moved to the far side of the cell and sat in the corner. They had arrested him upon his arrival at fourth division's headquarters without any explanation.

---

Cyerra was in a panic. Once again, upon departure from the prisoner's cell, she found herself trapped thanks to Luppi's iron grip on her hakama. However, this time, he was awake. His violet eyes seemed distant as he gazed up at her from his chair.

"Hey, could you let go?" she asked tugging on her uniform.

Luppi's grip tightened the more she struggled.

Cyerra let out a sigh and stopped pulling; a ripped uniform was expensive to replace and impossible to fix by herself. Since she had neither the funds or desire to do either she stood still hoping the prisoner would let go.

Seconds passed and then minutes. Cyerra was thankful that this was her only task for the day and that her captain was out on a mission today. "Would you mind letting go now?" she asked, frustration biting into her polite tone, "Please?"

Luppi blinked as if he was waking from a day dream, "You!" he hissed, "What have you been doing to me?" his grip became aggressive as he pulled her closer.

"Nothing. Other than bringing you food."

"Then why the heck do I keep getting weaker?! I'm not pathetic like you shinigami. I'm a full fledged arrancar! And I could have been an Espada!" Luppi began to rage, "Espadas don't take prisoners from battles! What's the point, if they lose then they should be left to die instead of being held in prisons like this!"

"Does that mean you wanted to die?" Cyerra asked abandoning all caution.

"WHY YOU LITTLE BRAT! WHOEVER SAID THAT?" Luppi shouted, suddenly he became calmer as her words sank in, "I guess, I did. However, do you want to be locked up in the same room day after day with only one person delivering meals every day for…"

"Four years," Cyerra filled him in, "I asked Soi-Fon taicho."

"That witch. If I ever get out of here, she's the first one I'm coming after! I'd already take her out if she'd come around more often."

"Wait, she doesn't come often?"

"The most I've seen of her was when she first put me in here and then when YOU showed up," Luppi glared at Cyerra, she was deep in thought at the moment; remembering how Soi-Fon had said something about a serum.

"That's it!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Luppi asked bewildered and completely lost as to what was going on.

"The serum! It's in the food I bring!"

"Serum?!" Luppi asked incredulously, "That would explain why I feel so rotten. Now I'm really going to kill that witch. And you too!"

"W-wait!" Cyerra struggled to get lose again. While still slightly drugged, Luppi was as tame as a wild raccoon.

Luppi suddenly went limp as another wave of the serum hit him. His grip slackened a bit, but still not enough for the shinigami to escape. "W-why should I?" he struggled to retain consciousness.

"Because I can bring you other food!"

Luppi snarled weakly, "Why would you do that? You're just trying to get out of here alive."

"N-no. This is wrong. I don't know what they're using serum for, it's not to contain you; the door works well enough."

"Fine," Luppi released her before shutting his eyes.

Cyerra dashed out of the room, but then remembered the tray of food containing the serum. She cautiously entered the room again and grabbed it before departing again.

As she walked out of the prisons and he drifted off in his chair, their thoughts were the same: "I know I'm going to regret this…"

---

"LET! US! OUT!!!" yelled Éyon furiously for the fiftieth time that morning, "We're innocent!"

"Aww… Give it a rest," growled Grimmjow, "You're making my head hurt".

"No! They have to let us go!" yelled Éyon pounding on the cell bars, making a banging noise loud enough to make the ears of someone standing ten feet away hurt.

"I SAID STOP IT!" roared Grimmjow.

Éyon backed off and was quiet. Instead of yelling she sat and waited avidly for someone to come by, but no one did.

The sunlight became brighter and then began to dim slowly. Still no one came. Éyon's stomach growled; she hadn't had breakfast that day and it didn't look like she was going to get any food at all today.

The faint sound of footsteps became audible as someone walked toward the prison cell. Éyon waited impatiently as a lone 2nd division member came down the hallway.

"Cyerra!" gasped Éyon recognizing her dark friend, "Cyerra! Over here!"

"Éyon? And Grimmjow?" Cyerra was puzzled, "What are you two in jail for?"

"We don't know," Éyon stated and then re-told what had happened that morning.

After listening to her friend's tale, Cyerra became serious. "I don't know what to do, sorry, but I don't have a high enough rank to get you out."

Noticing the food tray in Cyerra's hand Éyon's stomach growled quite loudly.

"But, I may be able to help you with that. I was just on my way to the cafeteria. Boy, they're going to think I eat a lot with all the food I'm taking today," a goofy grin flickered on her face for a brief moment before she set off.

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**Thanks for reading!!!!! Please review!!!! **


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